Forget about "the Big Hurt." Frank Thomas has a new pair of nicknames for himself: "5 o'clock Frank" and "7 o'clock Frank." Confused? Don't be. "5 o'clock Frank" is the man who launches one mammoth home run after the next in batting practice. "5 o'clock is what you've been seeing (in games) for the last eight years," he said. "7 o'clock" is the Thomas who is suffering through his worst big-league season--.266 through Monday night's game. "I'm not getting it done," he said.

East: The Red Sox signed free agent Mark Lemke, 32, and said he will start at second base as soon as he's ready. The move had been discussed since Jeff Frye was lost for the season early in camp. Although he is a career .248 hitter, Lemke became known for his clutch postseason hitting for the Braves. The Red Sox also released veteran Mike Gallego. Mo Vaughn homered twice, giving him nine this spring, as Boston beat the Twins 3-2. . . . Jeffrey Hammonds hit a pair of...

Steve Avery (8-2) cruised to a career-high seventh consecutive victory, and Mark Lemke hit a three-run homer. It was the Braves' third straight victory after a team meeting before Friday night's game. Atlanta lost to Cincinnati on Thursday night, its 10th defeat in 15 games.

Mark Lemke should ask for an MVP recount. OK, so Javy Lopez hit .542 in the National League Championship Series. The Atlanta second baseman may still have had the bigger hits. He also was the only batter to hit safely in all seven games. Lemke was 12 for 27 in the NLCS, a far cry from his 3 for 18 in the 1995 NLCS against Cincinnati and his 5 for 24 in the 1993 NLCS against Philadelphia. "National television just magnifies everything," manager Bobby Cox said of Lemke.

Braves 4, Marlins 2: Chipper Jones doubled in two runs during a four-run eighth in Atlanta. Mark Lemke drove in the first run with a single off John Burkett (1-2) and David Justice's sacrifice fly finished the scoring. The rally made a winner of Greg Maddux (2-1), who allowed six hits, walked three and struck out five in eight innings. Mark Wohlers finished for his fourth save.

Tim Belcher continued his recent dominance of slumping Atlanta, narrowly missing a second straight shutout of the Braves. Belcher (4-4), who pitched a one-hitter in a 4-0 victory in his last start against the Braves on May 26, had a perfect game for 5 1/3 innings before Mark Lemke beat out an infield single. Belcher handed the Braves their 10th loss in 15 games. Tom Glavine (7-3) lost for the third straight time.

Braves 4, Marlins 2: Chipper Jones doubled in two runs during a four-run eighth in Atlanta. Mark Lemke drove in the first run with a single off John Burkett (1-2) and David Justice's sacrifice fly finished the scoring. The rally made a winner of Greg Maddux (2-1), who allowed six hits, walked three and struck out five in eight innings. Mark Wohlers finished for his fourth save.

At this rate, the Cincinnati Reds aren't going to have to worry about how many people show up for the next game in Riverfront Stadium. It might not be until spring 1996. They trail the Atlanta Braves 2-0 in the best-of-7 National League Championship Series after dropping a 6-2 decision in 10 innings Wednesday night. And they have the honor of facing the best pitcher in baseball, Greg Maddux, in Game 3 Friday night in Georgia. It was Atlanta's fourth win in its last at-bat during...

Mark Lemke and Javier Lopez each drove in three runs and Tom Glavine struck out a season-high nine as Atlanta won its fourth straight. Marquis Grissom went 5 for 5 with two RBIs and Lemke was 4 for 6 in the Braves' 17-hit attack. Glavine allowed four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings to hand Montreal its fifth straight loss. The Expos rallied for two runs in the eighth to make it 7-6, but Grissom's bases-loaded two-run single in the ninth restored Atlanta's three-run lead.

Mark Lemke must be near death. Why else would the Atlanta Braves' gritty second baseman remove himself so early in Friday's T-ball practice at Wrigley Field? The official explanation was that Lemke had aggravated a hamstring injury, but you have to wonder when a guy passes up an opportunity to feast on the Cubs' pitching staff, such as it is. What does Lemke do next? Put a torch to a winning lottery ticket? Mind you, even without Lemke, the Braves conspired to eke...